Mechanism for stapling bedsprings to box spring frames



June 22, 1965 1-. F. WINTERS MECHANISM FOR STAPLING BEDSPRINGS TO BOX SPRING FRAMES Filed May 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 720N145 F: MN 7595 EZQL/t Arrozwz/ June 22, 1965 'r. F. WINTERS 3,190,522

MECHANISM FOR STAPLING BEDSPRINGS TO BOX SPRING FRAMES Filed May 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 777/0414; F. 144M721! ArraeA i/ United States Patent'O 3,1%,522 MEQHANlElM FOR STAPLILNG BEDSPRINGS TO BOX SPltih-IG FRAMES Thomas l3. Winters, 132i) Egbert Sh, SanRafael, Qalif. Filed May 17, i963, Ser. No. 281,169 7 Claims. Cl. 221940) This invention relates to a new and improved mechanism for stapling bedspringsto box spring frames and comprises a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 233,684, filed October 29, 1962 on -Machine for Attaching Bedsprings to Frame.

One form of bedsprings commercially produced uses a wooden frame comprising longitudinal and end marginal pieces and a plurality of transverse slatsfastened to the longitudinal pieces at their opposite ends. To each slat is attached by means of Wire staples, or the like, a plurality of bedspring coils. The lower end or-pigtail of each coil is attached to the underlying slat by one or more staples driven into the slat by means of a pneumatic stapling gun of any of several forms commercially available.

Heretofore, attachment of each staple to .the slat has been a hand operation and each coil has been individually manually fastened. The labor required to fasten a set of coils to a spring frame is an important factor in the cost of manufacture thereof. Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is toprovide a mechanism to fasten a plurality of bedspring coils to frames simultaneously, thereby reducing the amount of labor required.

A further feature of the invention is the factthat the staples are applied automatically rather than manually and that a higher quality of finished product results.

An important advantage of the present invention is the provision of an improved means of loading the coils into position so that they are held on the machine accurately spaced and in proximity to stapling guns preliminary to the stapling operation. For such purpose magnets are fitted to the machine adjacent the guns to magnetically hold the coils in proper position. in loading the coils on the machine the workmen must merely .bring the coils into contact with the magnet in approximately the position required for successful operation of the mechanism. Such an arrangement facilitates rapid loading of the machine. After the ends of the coil have been stapled to the slat the .guns and magnet are withdrawn, breaking magnetic contact.

Another advantage of the invention is the fact that the physical labor required in fastening the coils to the frame consists primarily of merely loading the coils into position on the magnets, the actual stapling operation being automatically performed without appreciable manual effort.

A still further advantage of the invention is the fact that an entire row of coils may be fastened to a slat simultaneously, whereupon the carriage on which the guns and magnet aremountedis lifted above the level of the coils so that there is no interference with longitudinal movement of the spring frame. Accordingly, the spring frame may be moved .along the table of the machine slat-by-slat and accurately positioned under the guns mounted on the carriage without careful attention of the operator.

Another feature of the invention is the fact that relatively unskilled labor may be employed to fasten the coils, since the skill and experience heretofore required to accurately position and fasten coils is eliminated.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

3,19%,522 Patented June 22, 1965 In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of amachine on which the present invention is installed,.partly broken away to conserve space.

FIG. 2 is'a side elevation of the structure; of FIG. 1, as viewed from the left.

FIG. 2A is a fragmentary viewzof a modification of a portion of FIG- 2.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantially. along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the structure of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional-views taken substantially along lines 55 and 66, respectively,.of FIG. 3.

A bedspring frame used in conjunction with the present invention is constructed in a variety of ways. One conventional construction is herein illustrated and consists of opposed longitudinal marginal members 12 on either side of the frame and transverse slats 13 spaced along the length of the frame. For each slat 13 there are a plurality of coilsfd in a row, the number of coils and the spacing between coils being subject to variation. A feature of the mechanism is that it may be adjusted to accommodate different coil spacings ariddifferent numbers of coils.

Each .coil 14 is also subject to considerable variation. That form of coil 14 herein illustrated is of the double volute type wherein the wire of which the-coil i made is wound in a helical-spiral pattern and the top turn 16 is of maximum. diameter and is preferably horizontal and fiat and the upperend of the wire is fixed to the next turn by means of a knot 17. Thediameter of coil 14 decreases from a maximum at top turn 16 to a minimum turn 13 about one-half the heightof the coil and then increases in diameter to bottom turn 19. Bottom turn 19 terminates in a pigtail 21, which is approximately tangent to turn 19. Coil 14 is fastened to slat 13 by means of two Wire staples .22 of conventional type which are driven into slat 13 and over bottom turn 19. One staple 22 is driven over pigtail 21 and the other staple 22 is driven over turn 19 at a position approximately diametrically opposite the point at whichthe pigtail is engaged. The two staples 22 hold the coil 14 in position and also hold it substantially erect.

The machine which is the subject of the invention provides an elongated horizontal-table 26, which'is of a length approximately twice that of the spring to be formed thereon. Table 26 is supported a convenient distance above the floor by means of legs 27 which are braced by means of diagonal and horizontal cross-bracing 28. A side guide 29 extends longitudinally along one side edge of table 26. On the side opposite guide 29 is an adjustable longitudinal guide 31 mounted on table 26 by adjustable bracket 32 in such manner that the spacing between guides 29 and 31 may be adjusted for the spacing between longitudinal frame members 11 on the frame. 7

Projecting from either side of table 26 is a horizontal bracket 33 from which extends upwardly vertical stan chion 34. The upper ends of stanchion 34 are connected by horizontal transverse tie 36. Positioned above tie 36 is a manifold 37 which is connected to a source of compressed air by means of conduit 38 and fitting 39. The air-driven tapling machines hereinafter described are energized from manifold 37 as hereinafter explained.

A pair of horizontal transverse upper and lower carriage frame members 41, 42 extend across the width or" table 26. The ends of frame members 41, 4 2 are Welded to sleeves 43 which reciprocate on stanchions 34. Reciprocation of members 41, 42 is accomplished by means of compressed air cylinder 4-6 which is mounted at its upper end by means of bracket 47 to tie 36. Piston rod 48 which extends from the lower end of cylinder 46 is connected by means of bracket 41 to lower member 42. Cylinder 46 is double-acting in the sense that it is energized from either end by means of fluid pressure conduits 51, 52, which are controlled by means of valve 53 mounted on table 26 and connected to a source of compressed air. Valve 53 is manually controlled by lever 54. To support the structure for vertical reciprocation and to prevent it from getting out of line, on either side of the machine is a link 56, the inner end of which is fastened to horizontal rod 57 supported by bracket 58 on tie 36. The outer ends of link 56 are connected by pins 59 to connecting links 61, the lower ends of which are connected by pin 62 to bracket 63 on lower member 42. Thus, vertical reciprocation of the machine is stabilized by the linkage 56 to 61.

For each coil 14 there are a pair of pneumatic stapling machines or guns 7-1. The pair of guns 71 is mounted on a plate 72 connected to horizontal trans-verse members 41, 4-2 by means of clamps 67 held on plate 72 by screws 68. This arrangement permits the number and spacing of plates 72 to be varied, depending on the requirements of the spring being built. Two guns 71 are mounted on each plate 72 by means of mounting yokes 73 and 74 at top and bottom, respectively, screws 76 passing through the yokes and serving an auxiliary means to secure the yokes and plate 72 to members 4 1, 42. Openings 77 are formed in yokes 73, 74 to receive and hold the guns '71. As illustrated particularly in FIG. 4, the openings 77 are slanted so that the lower ends of the guns 71 converge, but the guns may be mounted vertically or at different angles.

Each gun 71 consists of a cylinder 81 connected at its upper end to valve 82 which is, in turn, connected by means of flexible hose 83 to manifold 3'7. Extending transversely to the lower end of cylinder 81 is a magazine 8 for staples 22. A supply of staples is loaded into the magazine 86 and by means of the spring incorporated therein the staples are biased toward cylinder 81. Below magazine 86 is a nose 87 in alignment with cylinder 31, nose 87 receiving an individual staple 22 dislodged from magazine 86 and driven down through nose 87 to the lower end thereof. The lower end of nose 87 is formed with a notch 88 shaped to fit over the upper half of the wire coil 14 and more specifically over the upper half of pigtail 21 and at a point on bottom coil 19 diametrically opposite pigtail 21. Accordingly, the spacing between the lower ends of noses 87 is equal to such distance across the bottom of coil 19. The structure and operation of guns 71 form no part of the present invention and are not herein illustrated in detail, nor described. Several commercially available guns are satisfactory for use with the present invention. Operation of the guns forces staple 22 out of magazine 86 and drives the same down through nose 87, straddling the wire coil 14 and being driven into the slat 13.

To locate coils 14 in proper position and hold the same prior to being stapled to slat 13, each pair of guns 71 has a holding means 91 positioned intermediate noses 87. Holding means 91 is supported below yoke 74 by means of angular bracket 92 secured to yoke 74- by one of the screws 76. The lower end 13 of bracket 92, as best shown in FIG. 3, is slanted rearwardly of the machine. Preferably, bracket 92 is made of a non-ferrous material. Attached to lower leg 93 by means of screws 94 is a pair of iron locating guides 96, preferably slanted as best shown in FIG. 3, tangent to the individual coils in spring 14. For such purpose, the forward face 97 is fiat and straight. Means 96 are spaced apart by means of spacers 98 and interposed between legs 96 are one or more strong permanent magnets 99. Preferably, the strength of magnets 99 and the positioning of their poles is suflicient so that the entire length of locators 96 is magnetized. Hence, when coil 14 is placed in proximity to locators 96, it is attracted thereto by magnetic attraction and fits in place. With very little experience, the operator of the machine can move the individual coils 14 toward the locators 96 so that bottom coil 11 is engaged by the notches 88 in the bottoms of noses 87, and an extended area of the coil 14 is attracted by magnetized locators 96. This operation can be accomplished in a single deft movement.

It is preferably desirable to actuate all of the valves 82 simultaneously when the carriage 66 consisting of sleeve 43, members 4-1, 42, plates 72 and guns 71 move from retracted or loading position, shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, to down position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. For such purpose, each valve 82 has pivotall connected thereto by means of pivot 191 a downward slanted lever 102 carrying an adjustable screw 103 which will, when moved in- :wardly from the position shown in FIG. 3 contact an actuating element (not shown) of valve 82 to energize the cylinder 81. Mounted on each side of the machine attached to member 31 is a horizontal bracket 194. Extending horizontally transversely across the machine is an angle 105 pinned by means of pin 107 to bracket 1%. In the position of angle 106, shown in FIG. 3, the angle does not contact levers 162. However, the angle 1% may be titled in a counter-clockwise direction about pivot 167 as a center whereby angle 1116 will move each of the levers 162 inwardly and fire all of the guns 71. For such purpose, angle 1% has an extension 1% carrying an adjustment screw 1199 pointed downwardly. In the form of the invention best shown in FIG. 2, there is provided a vertical rod 1-11 held in place on frame 26 by bracket 112 and having at its upper end an abutment 113 to contact screw 1 9. Rod 111 may be reciprocated by a foot pedal 114 pivoted by pivot 116 to leg 27, so that when carriage 66 is depressed and screw 109 is slightly separated from abutment 113 the operator may depress pedal 114 and actuate :the guns. As an alternate construction illustrated in 'FIG. 2A, rod 111 may be fixed in position on bracket 112a by screw 1121) or by welding so that when the carriage 66 is depressed a sufficient distance, the screw 109 will strike abutment 1-13 and energize the guns.

In use, at the beginning of the cycle of operation, carriage 66 is raised by reason of retraction of rod 4-8 in cylinder 46 under the control of the operator by positioning lever 5 of valve 53. A wooden frame is placed on table 26 and the slat or wooden end member of the frame is placed immediately under the carriage 66. The operator and/ or an assistant then locates a complete row of springs 41 on the carriage. As has been explained, this is best performed by moving a coil 14 into position adjacent magnetized locators 96 and simultaneously assuring that the bottom coil is fixed in the notches at the bottoms of a pair of noses 87. The coils will remain in this position until the end of the operation. The operator then shifts lever 54, causing energization of cylinder 46 and downward movement of carriage 66 until the bottom coil 19 rests on the underlying slat. Thereupon the operator depresses pedal 114i causing all of the valves 82 of guns 71 to be open, thereby driving a staple down through the nose 87 of each gun and securing the coil to the slat 13, as best shown in FIG. 6. Valve lever 54- is then shifted, raising carriage 66 to initial position. The locators 96 do not remove the coils 14 because they are then securely stapled to slat 13. The frame is moved lon itudinally on table 26 until the next slat is under the carriage, whereupon the operation is repeated.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail, by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for fastening a plurality of bedspring coils to a bedspring frame, a table along which a frame may be slid, a carriage, guide means for guiding said carriage for reciprocation toward and away from said table, a plurality of stapling machines on said carriage, holding means for holding coils in proximity to said stapling machines, pneumatic means for energizing each said stapling machines including a valve for each said machine, and valve actuating means for actuating all said valves simultaneously, said holding means comprising for each pair of said stapling machines, a permanent magnet positioned in proximity to said stapling machines and at an angle thereto, such that when a spring is magnetically held by said holding means with a plurality of turns of said coils against said holding means, the lower end of said spring is positioned at the lower ends of said stapling machines.

2. A machine according to claim l, in which said valve actuating means comprises a lever for each said valve angling longitudinally on said machine, a bar, means pivotally mounting said bar across said machine in proximity to said levers, and means for pivoting said bar to depress all of said levers to open all of said valves.

3. A machine according to claim 2, in which said last named means comprises a first projection on said bar and a second projection on said table engageable with said first projection when said carriage is moved toward said table.

4. A machine according to claim 3, which further comprises means under the control of the operator for moving said second projection into contact with said first projection.

5. In a bedspring stapling machine of the character described, 21 pair of stapling guns each having an elongated depending nose, means mounting said guns with said noses at about the same elevation and spaced apart at their lower ends the distance across the bottom of a coil spring, a pair of magnetizable members, a permanent magnet between said members, a bracket on which said members are mounted fixed relative to said guns locating said members between said noses and at an angle thereto, whereby a spring is held by said members in proximity to said noses.

6. In a bedspring stapling machine of the character described, a pair of stapling guns each having an elongated depending nose, means mounting said guns with said noses spaced apart at their lower ends the distance across the bottom of a coil spring, at least one magnetized member, mounting means mounting said member fixed relative to said guns and between said noses, whereby a coil spring is held magnetically by said member in proximity to said noses.

"7. A machine according to claim 5, in which said member is formed with an edge for contact with said spring disposed at an angle to said noses, such that when a bedspring is magnetically held by said member with a plurality of turns of said coil spring against said member, the lower end of said coil spring is positioned immediately below the lower ends of said guns.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, .lR., Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR FASTENING A PLURALITY OF BEDSPRING COILS TO A BEDSPRING FRAME, A TABLE ALONG WHICH A FRAME MAY BE SLID, A CARRIAGE, GUIDE MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID CARRIAGE FOR RECIPROCATION TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID TABLE, A PLURALITY OF STAPLING MACHINES ON SAID CARRIAGE, HOLDING MEANS FOR HOLDING COILS IN PROXIMITY TO SAID STAPLING MACHINES, PNEUAMATIC MANS FOR ENERGIZING EACH SAID STAPLING MACHINES INCLUDING A VALVE FOR EACH SAID MACHINE, AND VALVE ACTUATING MEANS FOR ACUTATING ALL SAID VALVES SIMULTANEOUSLY, SAID HOLDING MEANS COMPRISING FOR EACH PAIR OF SAID STAPLING MACHINES, A PERMANENT MAGNET POSITIONED IN PROXIMITY TO SAID STAPLING MACHINES AND AT AN ANGLE THERETO, SUCH THAT WHEN A SPRING IS MAGNETICALLY HELD BY SAID HOLDING MEANS WITH A PLURALITY OF TURNS OF SAID COILS AGAINST SAID HOLDING MEANS, THE LOWER END OF SAID SPRING IS POSITIONED AT THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID STAPLING MACHINES. 